Yum! Brands facts for kids
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Formerly
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Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. (1997–2002) |
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| Public | |
| Traded as | |
| Industry | Foodservice |
| Predecessor |
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| Founded | November 8, 1977 (as a subsidary of PepsiCo) October 6, 1997 (as a separate entity) |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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61.000 (2025) |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Revenue |  US$7.547 billion (2024) |
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Operating income
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US$2.403 billion (2024) |
 US$1.486 billion (2024) |
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| Total assets | US$6.727 billion (2024) |
| Total equity | −US$7.648 billion (2024) |
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Number of employees
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Over 1 million (est.) (Including subsidiaries and franchises) |
| Subsidiaries |
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Yum! Brands, Inc. is a huge American company that owns many popular fast food restaurants. You might know them as Yum!. It started out as part of PepsiCo, a big drink and snack company. PepsiCo bought famous chains like KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.
In 1997, PepsiCo decided to let these restaurants become their own separate company. This new company was first called Tricon Global Restaurants. Later, in 2002, it changed its name to Yum! Brands. Today, Yum! Brands owns KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger & Grill. However, in China, these restaurants are run by a different company called Yum China. Yum! Brands used to own other chains like Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants.
Yum! Brands is based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the U.S. It is one of the world's biggest fast food companies. In 2016, Yum! had over 43,000 restaurants in 135 countries. Because it came from PepsiCo, most Yum! restaurants serve Pepsi drinks instead of Coca-Cola.
Contents
How Yum! Brands Started and Grew
PepsiCo's Restaurant Adventure
The story of Yum! Brands began in 1977. That's when PepsiCo decided to get into the restaurant business. They bought Pizza Hut from its founders. A year later, PepsiCo also bought Taco Bell. In 1986, PepsiCo added KFC to its collection.
PepsiCo bought a few other restaurant chains too, like California Pizza Kitchen. But they later sold these chains. By 1997, PepsiCo decided to focus on drinks and snacks again. They spun off their restaurant division. This means they made it a separate company.
Becoming Tricon Global Restaurants
Yum! Brands was created in 1997. It was first named Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. This new company became the parent of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. The decision to create Tricon was announced in January 1997. The company officially became separate on October 6, 1997.
Tricon chose Louisville, Kentucky, as its main office. This was also where KFC's headquarters were located. In 2000, Tricon started trying out restaurants that combined two brands. For example, they tested KFC restaurants that also served A&W food. These tests were very successful.
The Birth of Yum! Brands
In March 2002, Tricon Global Restaurants announced a big change. They would merge with Yorkshire Global Restaurants. Yorkshire owned A&W and Long John Silver's. The merger was completed on May 8, 2002. The company then officially changed its name to Yum! Brands on May 22, 2002.
The name "YUM" was already used as the company's stock symbol. It stood for the enjoyment of food. After the merger, restaurants like Long John Silver's and A&W, which used to serve Coca-Cola, started serving Pepsi products. A&W Root Beer was still served, though, because of a separate agreement.
In 2003, Yum! launched WingStreet. This was a new chicken wing menu often added to existing Pizza Hut restaurants. Thousands of WingStreet locations opened in the following years.
Yum! Brands Around the World
Focusing on Global Growth
In 2011, Yum! Brands decided to sell its Long John Silver's and A&W brands. They wanted to focus more on their main brands: KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. These two chains did not have many locations outside North America. So, they didn't fit the company's plans for growth around the world. In September 2011, Yum! found buyers for both chains.
Yum! Brands has continued to expand globally. In May 2013, KFC opened its first restaurant in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This was the first Western fast food restaurant in the country. The company plans to open many more restaurants there. Yum! Brands also opened Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants inside some Target stores.
In countries like India, Thailand, Nepal, and Nigeria, Yum! Brands works with a partner called Devyani International Limited. This partner helps manage many KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell restaurants. In October 2013, Yum! Brands opened its 40,000th restaurant in India.
In 2014, Yum! tried out some new restaurant ideas. These included Super Chix, which was similar to Chick-fil-A. They also launched U.S. Taco Co. and Banh Shop. Super Chix was later sold in 2015.
In 2017, Yum! announced plans to open 10 Pizza Hut restaurants in Ethiopia. In January 2020, Yum! bought The Habit Burger Grill for $375 million. This deal was completed in March 2020.
Yum! has also bought several technology companies. In 2020 and 2021, they acquired companies like Heartstyles, Tictuk Technologies, Kvantum Inc., and Dragontail Systems. These companies help with training, online ordering, customer insights, and kitchen management. In December 2023, Yum! announced it would buy 218 KFC restaurants in the UK and Ireland from a large franchisee. This deal was completed in 2024.
Animal Welfare Efforts
In 2021, Yum! Brands made a promise. They committed to using 100% cage-free eggs in most of their restaurants by 2026. They plan to do this globally by 2030. This means that the eggs they use will come from hens that are not kept in cages.
Who Runs Yum! Brands
The current CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Yum! Brands is David Gibbs. The CEO is like the main boss of the company. Former CEOs include Greg Creed and David C. Novak.
Since 2006, Yum! Brands has been a main sponsor of the Kentucky Derby. This is a very famous horse race.
In 2015, Yum! Brands announced a big change. They decided to split into two separate companies. Yum China officially became its own company on November 1, 2016. Yum China runs the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell stores in mainland China. However, stores in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are still part of Yum! Brands.
Yum! Brands: Current and Former Restaurants
Current Brands
- KFC
- Pizza Hut
- Taco Bell
- Banh Shop (Yum! has a small investment)
- Habit Burger & Grill
Sometimes, you might see restaurants that combine KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. People often call these "Ken-Taco-Huts."
Former Brands
- A&W Restaurants – Sold in 2011.
- D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches – Sold in 1997.
- Hot 'n Now – Acquired by PepsiCo in 1990. Most locations are now closed.
- Long John Silver's – Sold in 2011.
- Pasta Bravo
- Super Chix
- East Dawning – Became part of Yum! China in 2016.
- Little Sheep – Also became part of Yum! China in 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Yum! Brands para niños
- List of major employers in Louisville, Kentucky
- Yum China
- Restaurant Brands
